A gentleman watching me groom his pet last week asked, “Why does he let you do all these things to him? He would never allow me to trim his claws or remove a tangle.” It’s a question groomers encounter occasionally, and it’s interesting to consider the answers.
I think back to when I was learning how to groom. The patient woman who trained me gave me all the easiest, sweetest dogs to work on, but they would fidget, pull, and spin when I groomed them. I quickly noticed that when she came to the table to assist me or show me a technique, all that squirmy behavior would instantly stop. The dogs practically snapped to attention like military personnel when a senior officer appears. It didn’t take me long to understand that they behaved well for her because she was calm and confident in her actions. I was all over the place and worried about every move I made. The dogs could tell, and they reacted accordingly.
I’d been grooming for about five years when it dawned on me that most dogs behaved beautifully for me, and I understood that I had gained in my grooming skills, handling skills, and confidence. And the dogs recognized it.
As a lifelong animal lover, I have always been aware, on some level, that animals take human voices, postures, facial expressions, and body language into account, but never more than when I took an agility class with my dog. Watching the other handlers and dogs run a course consisting of jumps, ramps, tunnels, A-frames, and weave poles; I could see that the dogs were watching their handlers closely. Even at a dead run, the dogs noticed things as subtle as where their handlers’ shoulders were turned, what direction the person was looking, and minor movements of the hands and arms.
Dogs can sense our moods and take note of our posture, facial expressions, and vocal cues. They are smart enough to rarely be fooled, too. If a human uses a soothing voice but has a body posture indicating aggression, the dog will notice. Their ability to observe and understand us is undoubtedly an evolutionary adaptation developed throughout thousands of years of domestication.
If a dog you are grooming is struggling, take a moment to consider your mood, how you are acting, speaking, moving, and your facial expressions as you work. Sometimes, putting the dog in a crate and taking a little break to change your attitude (have a snack, go outside for a minute and take some deep breaths, do some stretches) can make a tremendous difference. Dogs read us, and they react to what we show them.
